666, An Anthology of Horror Shorts, Reviewed.

On 31/10/201609/12/2017 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Fundraising, Reading, Review

https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?asin=B01M6A07BE&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_ERalAbGW2P26R&tag=stuartaken-21 A scary collection of thirty-two horror shorts, every one of them exactly 666 words long! These Fantables were mostly the result of a contest run by the publisher, Fantastic books Publishing, but include some tales by selected invited professional writers. The stories run the whole spectrum of horror writing from the traditional through to …

Continue reading 666, An Anthology of Horror Shorts, Reviewed.

SciFi Made: Now Available in All Formats!

On 31/10/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Mars, Reading2 Comments

My latest science fiction novel, Blood Red Dust, is now available as an ebook as well. You can get a copy by clicking here to buy from Amazon. The paperback version was mentioned in a previous post. As readers of my blog, you get to know about the new book before the official launch. That’s …

Continue reading SciFi Made: Now Available in All Formats!

SciFi in the Making: Now Available!

On 29/10/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Mars4 Comments

It’s here! It’s there! And you can have it everywhere! Okay, a little ott, but, hey! I’m excited. My latest science fiction novel, Blood Red Dust, is now available and you can get a copy by clicking on this link. At present, it’s available in paperback; the ebook will follow shortly: I’ll let you know …

Continue reading SciFi in the Making: Now Available!

Looking for the Best Word? Tip #10

On 28/10/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction4 Comments

Examining similar and dissimilar words to find ways writers might make their work more varied, accessible, interesting, accurate and effective. A good thesaurus gives substitutes for the idea of a word, but not all suggestions are true synonyms. Context is vital. Putting alternative words in the same sentence to see if they actually make sense …

Continue reading Looking for the Best Word? Tip #10

Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making – Cover Reveal!

On 24/10/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars3 Comments

In a couple of days, I'll be announcing the launch (soft at present, as the official launch will occur on 19th November at Fantasticon 2016 in Hull). But, to keep you up to date, here's the cover of Blood Red Dust: Volume 1 (Generation Mars). This is my new science fiction novel. Watch this space …

Continue reading Progress on the WIP: SciFi in the Making – Cover Reveal!

The Bloody Chamber, by Angela Carter, Reviewed.

On 22/10/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Literature, Review3 Comments

I ‘won’ a copy of this book in a giveaway entered online. When the paperback arrived, I was delighted, as I was about to go on holiday and expected it to make good poolside reading. This is an anthology of singularly dark, complex and richly written tales. Most are based on the elements of fairy …

Continue reading The Bloody Chamber, by Angela Carter, Reviewed.

Looking for the Best Word? Tip #09

On 21/10/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction

A series of posts examining similar and dissimilar words to suggest ways writers might make their work more varied, accessible, interesting, accurate and effective. A good thesaurus provides alternatives for the idea of a word, but not all suggestions are true synonyms. Context is vital. Placing alternative words in the same sentence to see whether they …

Continue reading Looking for the Best Word? Tip #09

Chopin’s Ghost, by Cary Marc Grossman, Reviewed.

On 19/10/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Fiction, Reading, Review

Fantasy merges with scholarship under the masterful guidance of real, original imagination. This book will be pigeonholed as fantasy, paranormal, science fiction, romance, crime, historical and erotic. It is all and none of these: it is something much bigger and better. Playing with time, power, culture and wealth, this novel is at heart a love …

Continue reading Chopin’s Ghost, by Cary Marc Grossman, Reviewed.

Take the Body and Run, by Jada Ryker, Reviewed.

On 19/10/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Review

I hate to do this, but I must give an honest opinion. I got to chapter 8, 25% of this book, but wasn’t engaged at all. Much of the dialogue held no interest, and there was too much American cultural reference to make me want to read on. I really didn’t care about any of …

Continue reading Take the Body and Run, by Jada Ryker, Reviewed.

A Sickness in Time, by M. F. Thomas and Nicholas Thurkettle, Reviewed.

On 16/10/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Fiction, Review

This is science fiction, but it is also so much more. Time travel with a difference; it’s plausible. The protagonists are wonderful characters, flaws and all. And I love the depiction of the arch-villain who represents everything I hold to be bad in the world. A great story, full of adventure, action and event, but …

Continue reading A Sickness in Time, by M. F. Thomas and Nicholas Thurkettle, Reviewed.

The Pink Beetle, by Caspar Vega, Reviewed.

On 15/10/201615/10/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Review

Unusual, intriguing, compulsive; a story with a very different structure. This isn’t an easy read but it is engaging and tells a tale. A form of fantasy, but set in contemporary times in a place we recognise as the USA. Is it crime? Well, sort of. But not in any form I’ve encountered before. Something …

Continue reading The Pink Beetle, by Caspar Vega, Reviewed.

The Birth of Death, by Joseph Macolino, Reviewed.

On 11/10/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Review

Fantasy for YA readers, this tale of magical creatures failed to grab my attention, though I imagine those interested in the lore of elves, satyrs, centaurs, et al, will find enough here. I found the writing style a little stilted and was unable to engage with the characters, so didn’t read past the first quarter …

Continue reading The Birth of Death, by Joseph Macolino, Reviewed.

Animal Magnet, by Gary Anderson, Reviewed.

On 09/10/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction4 Comments

A remarkable book, this. And one that makes several demands of its readers. It tells the story of a family through a number of centuries, dipping into significant life events and back-referencing to identify the particular family member placed under the microscope. Starting in Hungary and ending in USA, via France and Mexico, it travels …

Continue reading Animal Magnet, by Gary Anderson, Reviewed.

Looking for the Best Word? Tip #07

On 07/10/201620/09/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction

For a short introduction to this series, please click this link. These posts examine similar, and sometimes dissimilar, words in an effort to suggest ways writers might make their work more varied, accessible, interesting, accurate and effective. A good thesaurus provides alternatives for the idea of a word, but not all suggestions are true …

Continue reading Looking for the Best Word? Tip #07

Looking for the Best Word? Tip #06

On 30/09/201620/09/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction1 Comment

For a short introduction to this series, please click here. These posts look at similar, and dissimilar, words to suggest ways writers might make their work more varied, accessible, interesting, accurate and effective. A good thesaurus provides alternatives for the idea of a word, but not all suggestions are true synonyms. Context is vital. …

Continue reading Looking for the Best Word? Tip #06